3 Lake Minnetonka beaches re-open, 2 closed

Article by: BILL MCAULIFFE

Star Tribune

June 3, 2014 - 10:19 PM

Three Lake Minnetonka beaches closed as a precaution after a sewage release in Mound Sunday were reopened Tuesday after tests showed contamination was “well below” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards, said Duane Hudson, environmental quality program manager for Hennepin County.

However, two other Lake Minnetonka beaches, several miles away from Mound, were closed Tuesday after weekly test results showed they were contaminated. They are Crescent Beach in Shorewood and Nocomo Beach in Deephaven.

Hudson said those beaches could have been contaminated by “just about anything,” including stormwater or waterfowl. They will be tested daily until they’re clean enough to be reopened.

Hennepin County monitors water quality at 31 beaches weekly, and posts results at www.startribune.com/a2580. If contamination is found, a beach is tested daily until contamination drops to safe levels.